NCJ Number
32193
Journal
SCOTTISH EDUCATIONAL STUDIES Volume: 17 Issue: 2 Dated: (NOVEMBER 1975) Pages: 97-107
Date Published
1975
Length
11 pages
Annotation
THE SOCIO-DEMOGRAPHIC CHARACTERISTICS AND BEHAVIOR OF ABERDEEN BOYS WITH POOR SCHOOL ATTENDANCE AND ABERDEEN BOYS IDENTIFIED AS TRUANTS ARE EXAMINED TO DETERMINE THE RELATIONSHIP OF POOR SCHOOL ATTENDANCE TO DELINQUENCY.
Abstract
THE AUTHOR IDENTIFIED THE IRREGULAR ATTENDANCE GROUP OF BOYS BY MEANS OF AN EXAMINATION OF SCHOOL ATTENDANCE RECORDS. THIS GROUP WOULD INCLUDE BOTH BOYS ABSENT FOR LEGITIMATE REASONS AND THOSE TRUANT FROM SCHOOL. THE TRUANCY GROUP OF BOYS WAS IDENTIFIED BY MEANS OF A TEACHER QUESTIONNAIRE. CONTRARY TO EXPECTATIONS, BOYS IDENTIFIED AS TRUANTS DID NOT ALSO EXHIBIT A POOR ATTENDANCE RECORD. SOCIAL BACKGROUND INTELLIGENCE SCORES, CLASSROOM BEHAVIOR, AND JUVENILE COURT INVOLVEMENT WERE EXAMINED FOR BOTH OF THESE GROUPS. BOTH GROUPS WERE FOUND TO BE SOCIALLY DISADVANTAGED, TO HAVE LOW INTELLIGENCE QUOTIENTS, TO PRESENT THEIR TEACHERS WITH BEHAVIORAL PROBLEMS, AND TO CONSTITUTE A HIGH RISK GROUP IN TERMS OF DELINQUENCY; HOWEVER, IN ALL RESPECTS, THE 'TRUANTS' DID SIGNIFICANTLY WORSE THAN THE 'ABSENTEES'. HOWEVER, IT IS NOTED THAT ONLY A MINORITY OF BOYS WITH A RECORD IF IRREGULAR SCHOOL ATTENDANCE SUBSEQUENTLY MADE A JUVENILE COURT APPEARANCE. FOR EVERY 'ABSENTEE' WHO WAS REFERRED TO COURT DURING THE PERIOD UNDER REVIEW, FIVE OTHERS MADE NO SUCH APPEARANCE. EVEN IN THE CASE OF THE 'TRUANTS', WHERE THE RISK OF DELINQUENCY WAS MUCH GREATER, THE ODDS WERE SLIGHTLY AGAINST A COURT APPEARANCE. FURTHERMORE, IT IS IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT WHILE A RECORD OF IRREGULAR SCHOOL ATTENDANCE CERTAINLY INCREASED THE LIKELIHOOD OF A COURT APPEARANCE, THE GREAT MAJORITY OF DELINQUENTS HAD A PERFECTLY GOOD ATTENDANCE RECORD; ONLY 1 IN 10 OF THE ABERDEEN DELINQUENTS WERE 'ABSENTEES' AND/OR 'TRUANTS'. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT MODIFIED)